Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs By Walter Thornbury. Illustrated by J. Whistler, F. Walker, John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, W. Small, F. Sandys, G. J. Pinwell, T. Morten, M. J. Lawless, and many others |
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| IV. |
| V. | V. MADAME MÈRE. |
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
V. MADAME MÈRE.
[Napoleon's undeviating affection for his mother was one of the finest features of his private character.
—Desmoulins.]
The Luxembourg was full of kings,
As round rich Dives' gate
The lepers came; the Emperor,
Like Charlemagne in state,
Sat high o'er all. The uniforms
Were many-coloured there,
But humble as a Quakeress
Was simple Madame Mère.
As round rich Dives' gate
The lepers came; the Emperor,
Like Charlemagne in state,
Sat high o'er all. The uniforms
Were many-coloured there,
But humble as a Quakeress
Was simple Madame Mère.
There was the courtly Talleyrand,
Hoof-legged—a devil lame;
Old Fouché, bulldog-faced and rough,
Bowed worshipping the flame
Of this great fiery central sun.
From ugly and from fair
He turned his head to watch the face
Of simple Madame Mère.
Hoof-legged—a devil lame;
Old Fouché, bulldog-faced and rough,
Bowed worshipping the flame
Of this great fiery central sun.
From ugly and from fair
He turned his head to watch the face
Of simple Madame Mère.
Le Braves des Braves stood there erect,
Taming his lion heart,
And Soult, his manly, eager eyes
Fixed on this Bonaparte.
The old noblesse, half shy, afraid,
Were crawling humbly there,
In whispering crowds around the chair
Of simple Madame Mère.
Taming his lion heart,
And Soult, his manly, eager eyes
Fixed on this Bonaparte.
The old noblesse, half shy, afraid,
Were crawling humbly there,
In whispering crowds around the chair
Of simple Madame Mère.
There was Murat, a circus king,
All cherry cloth and lace,
And Augereau, the Jacobin,
A butcher's son by race,
With half a dozen subject-kings,
The meanest vassals there:
He turned from all to kiss the hand
Of smiling Madame Mère.
All cherry cloth and lace,
And Augereau, the Jacobin,
A butcher's son by race,
With half a dozen subject-kings,
The meanest vassals there:
He turned from all to kiss the hand
Of smiling Madame Mère.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |